NATO confirms North Korean forces bolster Russia in Ukraine
The head of NATO has confirmed that North Korean soldiers have been sent to Russia and deployed in the Kursk region.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte informed that the Alliance has verified the deployment of North Korean troops in the Russian Kursk region, which shares a border with Ukraine.
NATO: significant escalation
Speaking in Brussels, Rutte described this action as a "significant escalation" of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. He stated that it demonstrates the "desperation" of the Russian leader, Vladimir Putin.
The head of NATO also noted that approximately 600,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or injured in the conflict in Ukraine. This statistic proves that Putin cannot continue his assault on Ukraine without external support, Rutte explained.
Previously, European Commission spokeswoman Nabila Massrali stated that North Korea's act of sending soldiers to Russia, with the intention of involving them in the Ukraine conflict, constitutes a serious breach of international law, including the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter.
She acknowledged the European Commission's concern over reports of North Korean troop movements and emphasised that they closely monitor the situation.
North Korean soldiers in Russia
Massrali also referred to a statement by the EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, who declared on Thursday that if these reports of deploying soldiers to fight against Ukraine are accurate, it would be a "unilateral hostile act by North Korea, leading to serious consequences for European and global peace and security." Borrell added that these occurrences again demonstrate how Russia promotes instability and contributes to regional and global escalation.
Troops from North Korea were expected to reach the front on Sunday or Monday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, citing intelligence data, provided this information on Friday. According to the South Korean intelligence agency NIS, Kim Jong Un's regime sent approximately 12,000 troops to Russia.
